SJCSO HOSTS ANNUAL SHOP WITH YOUR COPS

San Juan County, NM – The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office Foundations holds their annual Shop With Your Cops event!  On Saturday December 3, 2022, 101 children from all over San Juan County arrived at Target in Farmington for the opportunity to shop with law enforcement officers from the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, Bloomfield Police Department, Farmington Police Department, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, and New Mexico State Police. 

This annual Christmas event has become a favorite among deputies, officers, volunteers, and various other law enforcement staff.  Most of the officers and helpers at the event volunteer their time for this great cause.  Sheriff Shane Ferrari stated, “Shop With Your Cops is an amazing program that is rewarding for everyone involved and we are honored to help organize this event every year.  Events like this help us continue to build great relationships with the community that we serve every day.”

On the day of the event, children (ages 2 through 15) are paired with a law enforcement officer from one of the local agencies and sent into Target where they have $125 to spend.  The kids are encouraged to spend half of the money on necessities, such as clothing, shoes, and hygiene products, and the other half on fun items, such as toys and electronics.  Target provided eggs, biscuits, and gravy for all families in attendance as well as a goodie bag as they exited the building.

Shop With Your Cops is a community funded program with the mission of building relationships with children and providing a positive experience with law enforcement.  Children from the community are referred through government agencies and selected by a panel on the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office Foundation board.  The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office Foundation conducts fundraising for the event throughout the year and depend on donations from community members and businesses.  This year, the Foundation raised over $13,000 for the event.  San Juan County Sheriff’s Office Foundation Board President, Kelly Webb said, “Our Shop With Your Cops program is truly the most important program our Foundation supports.  What a great way to start off the season of giving!  It is always so heartwarming to see the smiles on these children's faces as they positively interact with law enforcement officers.  Thank you to all that support this program!”